We love the power of dentistry and every minute dental professionals spend performing tasks such as bookkeeping, payroll, and tax filings is time that could be spent changing people's lives and making them smile.
We love the power of dentistry and every minute dental professionals spend performing tasks such as bookkeeping, payroll, and tax filings is time that could be spent changing people's lives and making them smile.
Merit Accounting's mission is to provide guidance and clarity. The key to financial success for any dental practice is adopting a budgets, controls and goals that will guide your financial decisions on a day to day basis. In addition, understanding and controlling how money flows in and out of your practice will free you from financial stress and empower you to achieve your most important goals as a dentist.
Managing Partner
Jeff is Merit Accounting’s lead on all planning and operational matters — reviewing clients’ accounts, creating reporting standards and managing tax compliance and planning. Before joining Merit Accounting, Jeff worked as a tax and audit accountant for several CPA firms in the Northwest. After working for large CPA firms for several years, Jeff want to offer a more than the traditional hourly preparation relationship that most accountants provide. The opportunity to create longer term and comprehensive relationships with our dental clients has been a dream come true for Jeff.
Accounting is Jeff's second career, after having owned a successful photography business and helped his wife run a physical therapy practice in Chehalis, Washington for many years. Jeff originally graduated from the University of Washington in 1993, with a degree in Business Administration. He heard numbers calling his name and after selling his photo studio returned to school to gain the additional coursework required to become a CPA in 2008. Jeff's experience as a business owner gives him the unique experience to help clients through some of the challenges they face on a daily basis.
Jeff now lives in Bend, Oregon with his wife Holly and two children and enjoys all that Bend has to offer, including skiing, golf and mountain biking just for a start.
“Our purpose is to help clients determine long term paths to success and bring clarity to financial aspects of their practice. Our aspiration is to build a committed relationship with our clients and sustain this relationship over their lifetime."
— Jeff Gullickson
Founding Partner
In 2010, my husband Adam and I had reached a critical moment where nothing in our lives would ever be the same. He was buying a dental practice.
As we signed the paperwork, I felt both elated at the prospect of reaching this milestone in our lives along with a sense of anxiety as to what the future may hold. After years in San Francisco working in the financial district working on my CPA and Adam attending dental school we were going to start our own practice.
Dental students are buried in learning objectives during dental school, but entrepreneurship and small business financial management is not a primary focus. As we have learned from many successful dental mentors, strategic partnering is critical to practice success.
With my financial experience I took over the finances of the business and by providing timely and accurate financial information and business metrics, we have been able to make sound business decisions to grow the practice.
We have strategically partnered with other dental mentors such as Blatchford Solutions for practice management coaching, Tyson Steele Associates for marketing insight, and Merit Wealth Management for comprehensive personal financial planning. These partnerships have not only helped us grow our business, but alleviated a substantial amount of stress from our lives.
I absolutely love performing and providing dental financial services and metrics that help our colleagues make sound business decisions for their practices and their families. Next to my husband and my three beautiful children, I have a passion for financial organization and providing important and timely information that help my clients reach their personal goals.
Kathleen is referred to around the office as our Accounting Ninja. Her outgoing personality and attention to detail make her a valuable asset to Merit Accounting and she is the primary contact for your front office staff. Though Kathleen is originally from the Portland area, she has been living in the Willamette Valley for six years. Taking advantage of the Valley’s central location, Kathleen loves traveling the Pacific Northwest and discovering new spots to hike, camp, and canoe. When she’s not outdoors, Kathleen enjoys baking and playing guitar.
For the dentist who wants an expert partner to a take the daily financial tasks out of their hands and allow them to concentrate on the dentistry.
“I’ve been very impressed with everyone involved in the Merit family of services. They have worked with me to craft a smart, coherent plan that applies across all the areas of my life. I rest easier knowing where we’re headed, and I appreciate how their services have helped me make more time for what really matters to me.”
- Dr. Brian Jacobsen
For the dentist that wants an advisor to handle the daily financial requirements for the practice and step along side them throughout the year for planning and growth strategies.
"I feel like I have a CFO for my practice, which allows me to spend way more time and energy on the things that I love: family, dentistry and life. The ROL (Return on Life) for me in working with you guys is through the roof. I recommend you to all of my friends and colleagues. And they all say how much you have improved their lives as well."
- Dr. Adam Kirkpatrick
Tax compliance is also part of running a business and you can add our tax services to either of the above packages. In addition to the return preparation, we will be there with you throughout the year to ensure that tax planning is done throughout the year.
We believe in the value of comprehensive financial planning. Financial planning is one of the most important services that successful people use to create an extraordinary business career and personal life.
Most successful people have one thing in common: they want to get more out of their lives, and they don’t want to spend their time doing things they aren’t interested in or good at. Our firm specializes in helping you identify what’s most important to you and your family and how you can spend more time doing the things you really enjoy and less time doing things you would rather not do.
Comprehensive financial planning integrates all key areas of your financial life.
For more information visit: www.meritwealth.com
Notice: Due to the personal services we provide our clients, Merit Accounting is only accepting limited clients by referral.
Thank you.
61239 Tetherow Drive
Suite #209
Bend, OR 97702
888.728.7836